Shoe



March 20, 1928. 1,662,814

J. ALFRED I SHOE Filed April 14. 1927 Patented Mar, 28, 1928.

rattan PATENT. orricu.

JAMES ALFRED, OF BBGCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE.

Application filed April 14, 1927. Serial No. 183,849.

The object of this invention is to provide means within the heel portionof a shoe to adjustably support the wearers heel at different heightsand inclinations, relative to e the out-sole and heel, so that thelocation of maximum pressure of the wearers foot on the shoe bottom maybe varied, and other useful ends attained. 01 the accompanying drawingsforming 30 a part of this'specification, I Figure 1 shows partly in sideelevation, and partly in section, a portion of a shoe embodying "theinvention. Figure 2 is a top plan view, showing the i portion 01"" theinsole shown by Figure 1, andadjustable supporting means associatedtherewith, the shank stiffener being shown by dotted lines,

Figure 3 is a view similar to a 'portlon of Figure 1, showing adifierent adjustment.

Figure e is a section on line 4.-4 of ,F1gure 3. w V

Figure 5 shows in perspective the heel plate shown. by the precedingfigures,

2 Figure 6 shows in perspective, and sepa-' rated fromeach other, themembje'is of one i of the ad ustable supports; anda portion.

of theshank stiffener extension hereinafter described, a. portion ofthe'.heel plate being shown.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of thefigures.

The insole has a fore portion 12, a shankportion 13, and a heel portion14 The insole is preferably split horizontally from its heel portionthrough the shank portion, to form a flap 15, whose chief function is tocover the adjustable heel plate hereinafter described, and bridge thespace between said heel plate and the shank portion of the insole. Thefore portion 12 and the shank portion 13 may be permanently attached ina welt shoe by inseam stitches, connecting a lip there'on with the welt16 and upper 17 of a delta shoe, or'it may be otherwise attached. Tlieheel portion 14 isofiset downward from the shank portion 18, as shown byFigures.

1 and 3, during the lasting operation, to form a recess under the heelplate hereinafter described, a last being employed having a protuberanceon the heel end of its bottom.

The outsole here shown includes a fore portion 18, a shank portion 19,and a heel portion 20; The usual or any suitable heel 721 may beattached to the heel portion of the tension 24, projecting under theheel portion 1 14 of the insole, and preferably formed as medicated bydotted lines in Figure 2.

25 designates a heel plate which supports the wearers heel and. islocated above the heel portion 14. The heel plate is formed to enter theabove-described recess and is preferably dished, to conform to thebottom of the wearers heel, and is supported by a plurality ofadjustable supports, each composed of a nut 26, fixed to the shankextension 24, and a standard 27, which is a screwthreaded 'boltextending through anprifice in the heel portion 14 of the insole, andongaged with the nut 26. Each standard 27 has a shoulder 28 (Figure 6)at-the upper end of its threaded portion, and a reduced head. 29,projecting above the shoulder and into a closely fitting orifice 30(Figure 5) in the heel plate 25, the head being provided with ascreW-drivenengaging slot 31. U

The nuts 26 are preferably inserted in sockets formed in the heelportion 2(l'ol the insole. and, if desired, in a lift of the heel 21.The lieel plate 25 bears on the shoulders 28, so tha, when the standards27 are raised or lowere' by their rotation in the nuts 26, the heelplate is correspondingly raised or lowered. The length of the nuts 26and standards 27 is such that the heel plate may be considerably raisedas'shown by Figure 1, and considerably lowered as shown by Figure 3,provision being thus made for shift ing 'thefwearers weight forwardly onthe shoe bottom by raising the heel plate.

I prefer to employ three of the adjustable supports, one being at therear portion of the heel plate, and on the longitudinal median linethereof, while the other two are at the forward portion of the plate andat opposite sidesof the median line, a threepoint support beingprovided. By raising I may be imparted to the heel plate, as indicatedby dotted lines in Figure 3. By rais ing the standard 27 of one of theforward supports without adjusting the other, standards, a transverseinclination may be imparted to the heel plate, as indicated by dottedlines in Figure 4. By adjusting each of the standards 27, the heel platemay be maintained horizontally, either above the shank portion of theinsole, and spaced from the bottom of the recess, as shown by Figure 1,or depressed into the recess, as shown by full lines in Figure 3.

The flap 15 is provided with orifices 32 (Figures 1, 3 and a)whichcoincide with the heads 29 of the standards 27, when the flap is inposition to cover the heel. plate. The thickness of the flap ispreferably somewhat greater than the projection of the heads 29 abovethe shoulders 28, so that the flap prevents the heads from touching thebottom of the wearers heel or stocking. The flap bridges the spacebetween the forward end of the heel plate and the upper surface of theshank portion 13 of the insole.

It will be seen that the insole, the shank stifiener 23, attached to theshank portion 01'. the insole and having the extension 524-, and theinternally threaded nuts 26, fixed to the extension, constitute a unitwhiclrniay be engaged with the insole and incorporated therewith in theshoe before the threaded standards 27, and the heel plate 25 are upplied. I

The heads 29 of the standards are preferably enlarged or upset at theirupper ends, as shown. at 29 (Figures 4: and 6), to inseparably engagethem with the heel plate 25, so that the plate cannot be separated fromthe standards, and the standards are freely rotatable in the orifices 30of the heel plate. After the shoe is otherwise completed, the standards27, thus engaged with the heel plate, are engaged with the nuts 26.

I claim: y Y

1. A shoe comprising, in combination, a

- bottom including an ontsole and a full length insole fixed to theoutsole, the heel portion of the insole being depressed below the shankportion thereof, to form a recess below the foot-containing space in theshoe, a shank stiffener fixed in the bottom below the insole, thestiffener being curved to conform to the shank portion of the insole andhaving an extensionconforming to the heel portion thereof, a pluralityof nuts fixed to the shank extension and embedded in the heel portionor" the bottom, a heel plate formed to enter said recess, a plurality oiscrew-threaded standards inseparably errgaged at their outer ends withthe heel plate, to rotate therein, and, extending through the heelportion of the insole into the nuts, the outer ends of the standardsbeing termed engage a serew driver, and a iii a connected with the shankportion of the insole, and formed. to cover the heel plate, said .tlapToe ing provided with screw-driverreceiving openings coinciding; withthe outer ends or": the standards, the arrangement heingg such that thestandards support the heel plate and flap at a plurality of points, andare vertically adjustable, so that the heel plate and flap may bemaintained horizontally, either elevated above the shank portion of: theinsole, and spaced above the bottom or" the recess, or depressed intothe recess, the flap bridging the space between the forward end of theheel plate and the shank portion of the insole.

In a shoe, a full length insole, a shank stitlene attached to the shankportion of the insole, and lni'vinp,- an extension projecting under theheel portion thereof, a heel plate located above the heel portion oi theinsole, and a plurality of adjustable supports for the heel. plate, eachincluding; an in crnally threaded nut fixed to the shank ension andadapted to bear on the heel portion of the shoe, and an externallythreaded standard adjnstably engaged with the not, said standardsextending through the heel por tion of the insole, and supporting theheel plate, the height oi the heel plate being: a riable by rotation. ofthe standards, there being three of said supports, one supporting therear portion. of the heel plate. and loeated at the longtndinal medianline thereof, while the others support the forward portion of the plateand are located at opposite sides of said median line, the arrangementbeing such that said supports may be ad justed to impart either alongitudinal or transverse inclination to theheel plate.

In testimony whereoi I have allised my signature.

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